Is This New App the Solution to Your Math Woes?

Multiple reports have surfaced this year which reveal that Canadian children in particular are performing poorly in math and science. This isn’t a surprise—after all, very few people had math as their favourite subject in high school. With many forced into taking Stats 101 in university, the math nightmare never seems to end. So how can we battle this math phobia? Is there a way that those of us who are stuck on a problem can figure it out before a teacher must explain it to us?

A new app called PhotoMath is designed to do exactly this. Developed by the company PhotoPay, this app markets itself as a “camera calculator”. All the user has to do is simply hold up their phone’s camera to the math question on paper, and PhotoMath will instantly display the correct results.

How does this work, you ask? The app uses data recognition software in order to work out math problems. Taking a picture prompts the answer to appear, but also gives the user the option to display all the steps taken. In this way, the app is useful for students who just want to confirm their answer is correct, and also those who need extra help with the learning process.